WHAT CAN YOU DO? Being a responsible citizen includes more than voting in elections. Be involved and volunteer with/for organizations that are working on your behalf. Participate in public meetings, stay informed, and hold your elected officials accountable to you. A quick guide on how to engage with the Texas Legislature (testify online or in-person) is here.
Attend a meetinG
Note: Agendas for all these meetings are published in the Panola Watchman (latest news and an e-edition here).
Panola County Commissioners Court: Every other Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Court House, Carthage.
Panola County Appraisal District: Board of Directors meets ~ monthly on the 3rd Thursday at 1:45 p.m. at 1736 Ballpark Drive in Carthage.
Carthage City Council: 2nd and 4th Monday of each month, 5 p.m. City Hall, 812 W Panola St.
Beckville City Council: 2nd Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Beckville City Hall.
Gary City Council: 3rd Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. Gary City Town Hall.
Other taxing entities: include the Panola County Emergency Services District #1; Panola County Fresh Water Supply District #1 (aka Lake Murvaul Water Controlling Authority); Panola County Groundwater District; and the Independent School Districts (ISDs) of Carthage, Beckville, Elysian Field, Gary, Joaquin, Tatum, and Tenaha.
MAKE DIRECT CONTACT
Concerned about what books your child may have access to within their school library? Learn how to audit your local school library for books not in compliance with The Reader Act by watching the online webinar training here or emailing Senate District 1 (SD1) Republican Executive Committeewoman Christin Bentley M.S. here. She is on the Legislative Priorities Committee and is the Chair, Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids Subcommittee.
OTHER
We need a conservative Speaker of the Texas House. A full House vote will occur on opening day, 14 January. This is supposed to be an OPEN recorded vote under current rules. However, there are holdout legislators who still think letting a Democratic chair a committee is a good thing. Contact those holdouts and remind them that only conservatives will work to enact the conservative legislation. Signup to take a bus to Austin on 14 January (closest one to Panola County leaves from Nacogdoches) or support a bus ride, and/or buy a “Ban Democratic Chairs” t-shirt.
Track legislation and quickly notify your representatives about your stance (for/against) on specific items via links found here.
Comment / Testify on proposed bills